The impact of stigma on subjective well-being in people with mental disorders

Morgades-Bamba, Clara; Fuster‐RuizdeApodaca, María José; Molero, Fernando

doi:10.3371/csrp.cbmf.071317

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Further reflecting on our theme, Effects of Stigma on the Self and Wellbeing , it is worth noting that stigma had an important influence on self-esteem and self-worth in our sample, an observation that echoes studies in young people [ 7 , 73 , 76 , 82 , 99 ]. Past research has also found links between experiences of mental health stigma and reduced wellbeing [ 28 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Effects of mental health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with depression symptoms

Prizeman,

Weinstein,

McCabe

2023

BMC Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent affective disorder and the leading cause of illness and disability among young people worldwide. Besides being more susceptible to the onset of depression, young people have a higher risk of loneliness, and their personal and social development is impacted by social relationships during this time. It is thought that mental health stigma can undermine both help-seeking and longer-term outcomes for disorders like depression in young people. However, how stigma (i.e., related to depression) might affect young people’s feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and relationships is unclear. Using qualitative research methods, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of public and internalized stigma and its effects on loneliness, social isolation, and relationship quality in young people with depression symptoms. Methods We carried out in-depth, semi-structured interviews with N = 22 young people aged 17–25 (Mage = 22 years) who reported high symptoms of depression (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) score > 27) (i.e., community sample, N = 9) or had been previously diagnosed with depression by a medical professional (i.e., clinical sample, N = 13). Data were analysed using thematic analysis. We explored the subjective effects of depression stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships. Results Participants described both public stigma (i.e., initiated by others) and internalized stigma (i.e., self-imposed) as disrupting social relationships and eliciting loneliness, isolation, and depressive symptomology. Four main themes about young people's subjective experiences of stigma were identified: 1) Others’ Misunderstanding of Mental Health Disorders and the Impact Misunderstanding has on Relationships; 2) Effects of Stigma on the Self and Wellbeing; 3) Stigma Fosters Secrecy Versus Disclosure; and 4) Stigma Increases Loneliness Driven by Avoidance of Social Contexts. Conclusions Young people's accounts revealed a wide range of consequences beyond their depression diagnosis. Participants often felt discriminated against, misunderstood, and judged by others as a result of public stigma; they discussed internalizing these attitudes. They suggested that a lack of understanding from others, for example from their partners, family, and peers, and unreliable and/or absent support systems resulted in increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation and reduced the quality and quantity of relationship formation, social bonds, and interactions. Stigma also reduced their self-esteem and confidence, which in turn fostered secrecy and a reluctance to disclose their depression. Despite depression's stigma, most participants reported having long-term goals and aspirations to reconnect with others. These goals stood in contrast to feeling hopeless and unmotivated during periods of depression. Overall, we reveal how stigma can impact feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and relationships among young people with depression, which could lead to targeted interventions to lessen the impact of stigma in this population.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Effects of mental health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with depression symptoms

Prizeman,

Weinstein,

McCabe

2023

BMC Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Second, our research shows that internalized stigma fully mediates the relationship between perceived individual discrimination and self‐esteem. This result replicates those showing evidence of a negative association between internalized stigma and self‐esteem in people with mental illness (Corrigan et al, 2006; Morgades‐Bamba, Fuster‐RuizdeApodaca, & Molero, 2017) and shows that stigma awareness is not directly associated with well‐being; rather, it is the internalization of stigma that is associated with self‐esteem and self‐efficacy (Corrigan & Rao, 2012; Muñoz et al, 2011; Watson et al, 2007). Despite the expected negative consequences of concealment, no direct or mediating effects on self‐esteem were found.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Benefits of employment in people with mental illness: Differential mediating effects of internalized stigma on self‐esteem

Silván-Ferrero

Holgado

Jiménez³

et al. 2021

Community & Applied Soc Psy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Previous research shows a negative relationship between the stigmatization of people with mental illness and self‐esteem. Through path analysis, the present study examines the extent to which both perceived individual discrimination and perceived group discrimination predict self‐esteem and the extent to which internalized stigma and concealment mediate these relationships. We also test whether this mediation is moderated by the amount of time worked. The participants were 110 Spanish people with mental illness (67 men and 43 women) recruited from Spanish nongovernmental organizations. The sample was divided into two groups according to whether they had a permanent employment contract (which occurs when a person has worked for over 5 months). The results confirmed the mediating role of internalized stigma between individual perceived discrimination and self‐esteem in the group with permanent employment contracts. Group discrimination had an indirect positive association with self‐esteem through reduced internalized stigma in the whole sample. In sum, our results show that being employed for longer may strengthen the relationship between perceived individual discrimination and self‐esteem via internalized stigma and that perceived group discrimination may buffer the negative relationship between internalized stigma and self‐esteem in people with mental illness.

show abstract

“…The negative association between perceived personal discrimination and self-esteem has be found in other devalued groups such as women (Bourguignon et al, 2006; Kobrynowicz & Branscombe, 1997), African Americans (Postmes & Branscombe, 2002), and African immigrants in Belgium (Bourguignon et al, 2006). There is also evidence of a negative association between internalized stigma and self-esteem in people with mental illness (Corrigan et al, 2006 or Morgades-Bamba, Fuster-Ruizdeapodaca, & Molero, 2017) and people with HIV (Lee et al, 2002). Our results are consistent with the proposition that internalized stigma fully mediates the relationship between personal discrimination and self-esteem that, as far as we know, is new to the literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consequences of perceived personal and group discrimination against people with physical disabilities.

Molero

Recio

García-Ael

et al. 2019

Rehabilitation Psychology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To analyze the consequences for self-esteem of perceived discrimination against people with physical disabilities, as individuals and as a group. Method: A structural model based on the psychosocial literature was tested in a sample of 288 Spanish participants with different degrees of physical disability. This model predicted that personal perceived discrimination would be associated with the internalization of stigma that, in turn, would be negatively associated with the self-esteem of people with physical disabilities. On the other hand, group perceived discrimination, was predicted to enhance group identification and promote intention to contribute to collective action and hence have a beneficial effect on the self-esteem of people with physical disabilities. Results: The model provided a good fit to the data. The relationship between personal discrimination and the self-esteem of people with physical disabilities was completely mediated by internalized stigma. The model also showed that group perceived discrimination had only an indirect effect on self-esteem. Conclusion: This research makes two main contributions. From a theoretical perspective we found that perceived personal and group discrimination influence self-esteem through different paths. From an applied point of view, our results may contribute to the design of interventions to enhance the quality of life of people with physical disabilities. Impact and ImplicationsOur results underline that the perception of personal discrimination is negatively related to the self-esteem of people with physical disabilities. This association is totally mediated by internalized stigma; in other words, in people with physical disabilities who accept the negative social stereotype of their group, the perception that one has been discriminated against has a negative impact on self-esteem. We also found that group perceived discrimination had a smaller, indirect effect on self-esteem via effects on in-group identification and collective action intentions. Our results can be used in the design of interventions to enhance the self-esteem of people with physical disabilities. At the individual level such interventions should focus on preventing the internalization of the stigma and at the group level on encouraging group identification and increasing participation in associations.

show abstract

The impact of stigma on subjective well-being in people with mental disorders

Abstract: Positive self-concept protects the person from the harm that stigma may cause on his well-being. It especially protects positive affect, which we propose is an important resource in the recovery process. These findings have clinical and research implications.

Cited by 9 publications

References 1 publication

Effects of mental health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with depression symptoms

Effects of mental health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with depression symptoms

Benefits of employment in people with mental illness: Differential mediating effects of internalized stigma on self‐esteem

Consequences of perceived personal and group discrimination against people with physical disabilities.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About